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Fishy Analysis

A Canadian seafood company has turned to DNA analysis to assures its customers that the fish they buy is what the label says it is, the Guardian reports.

A Guardian Seascape analysis of 44 studies found that 36 percent of fish found in restaurants, grocery stores, and fish stores around the world are mislabeled. In particular, the report finds that some related species were swapped in, as nearly half the scallops in Germany labeled as king scallops were actually Japanese scallops, while other times, unrelated ones were, as some prawn balls in Singapore contained pork.

But Organic Ocean Seafood in Vancouver has partnered with University of Guelph in Ontario to conduct random sampling and DNA testing of its fish, the results of which are then posted online. "I hope using DNA becomes more commonplace in the industry. It's been a great business advantage for us," Dane Chauvel, the co-founder of Organic Ocean Seafood, tells the Guardian.

The Guardian notes, though, that without better traceability standards and DNA authentication, people may not be buying the fish they think they are.

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